The North Carolina Tar Heels handily defeated the Georgia Tech Yellowjackets 91-75 on Saturday, and one young forward made history in the process.
Freshman Caleb Wilson tallied 22 points, 6 rebounds, and 5 assists in the winning effort. It was his 15th 20-point game of the season, the most ever by a freshman in Tar Heels history, according to ESPN Insights.
Wilson has enjoyed a stellar season for North Carolina thus far. Across 21 games, he’s averaged 20 points, 9.9 rebounds, and 2.9 assists. Head coach Hubert Davis was sure to commend the youngsters' play when all was said and done.
“I thought from an offensive standpoint, the ball moved really well. Very unselfish from an offensive standpoint. It started with Caleb [Wilson]. We thought that they would have to double the post if we threw the ball into Caleb,” Davis told reporters after the win. “As soon as the ball touched his hands, he got it to an open teammate. It just ignited everybody else on how to play. It was .5 five mentality, where when you catch the ball, you're making quick decisions whether to shoot, to drive, or to pass. And I felt like Caleb started us off that way, and it led to everybody else.”
Wilson’s performance may have also been sparked by a sense of familiarity. The Atlanta native was raised near Georgia Tech and played as though he never left.
“For anybody, being able to come back home is a big deal. He never played here in high school, and he grew up with traffic 25 minutes from here,” Davis said.
The Tar Heels are 17-4 on the year and 5-3 in ACC play. They will host the Syracuse Orange on Monday.
